Combination salt and pepper shaker



Nov. 17, 1964 E. BIANCO COMBINATION SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER INVENTOR ElmoBlanco.

United States Patent C) 3,157,315 CMBNA'IION SALT AND PEPPER SHAKEREiino Bianco, 42 Seymour St., Torrington, Conn. Filed Dec. 11, 1%2, Ser.No. 243,855 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-1425) This invention relates to animplement used in the culinary art, and more particularly to a containerfor salt and pepper.

While cooks have often expressed a desire for a single container forsalt and pepper, in order to speed up their work in large kitchens wherespeed is essential in the preparation of a large number of meals in aminimum of time, no one has apparently done anything about it in aconstructive way that has led to any mass production of a practicaldevice for this purpose.

It is, therefore, the main object of this invention to provide apractical combination salt and pepper shaker that is fool proof in itsuse and will not fail to function when needed.

Another object of this vinvention is Ito provide a combination salt andpepper shaker having outlets separately adjustable for either salt orpepper, or the combination of the two, according to ones individualneeds or desires.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination salt andpepper shaker that can readily be filled with either salt or pepperwithout any danger of the two ingredients becoming accidently mixed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Combination salt andpepper shaker having a minimum of structure, none of which iscomplicated and apt to break under normal handling.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination salt andpepper shaker that can be mass produced in any size, and from anymaterial.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination saltand pepper shaker that can quickly be disassembled or assembled for thelling of either container without the necessity of filling the othersection of the container.

Other and further objects and advantages of this combination salt andpepper shaker will be hereinafter described, and the novel featuresthereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring Ito the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of this invention with the top adjusted to thefull open position for the shaking of salt and pepper from the same.

FIGURE 2 is a top View of this invention with the top adjusted to apartly open position for the shaking of a minimum amount of salt andpepper.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View of this invention taken substantially alongline 3 3 of FIGURE 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the top of this invention in the sameposition as indicated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side view of this invention in its entirety. The externaland internal chamber is partly broken open in or er to lshow theinterior.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantiaily alongline 6 6 of FIGURE l, as viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows.

FIGURE 7, a sectional view of this invention taken substantially alongline 7-7 of FIGURE 4, is viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of this invention taken substantially alongline Si 8 of FIGURE l, as viewed in the direction indicated by thearrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseverai views of the drawing.

Having reference to the drawing in detail, there is generally indicatedby the character 12, a salt container having externally rolled threads13, on the upper end of 14, as clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 of theaccompanying drawing. In these Iigures it is also seen that the topindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 15, and arrowed leadline, includes a iiat outer portion 16 and flat raised inner portion 17,both of which are provided with a plurality of openings to be describedin son-ie detail later in this specification.

The aforesaid top 15, is of a greater diameter than that of the upperend 14 of the container 12, and is provided with inwardly sloping sides18, which have their lower portion formed into rolled threads 19, thatmate with the aforesaid externally rolled threads 13, of the container12, when the top is screwed in place.

A tubular inner member 20, has externally rolled threads 21, formed inthe lower portion that mate with the externally rolled threads 22 on theupper end of the pepper container 23, which is cylindrical in form, andwhich has a closed bottom 24. The upper end of the tubular member 2t?,terminates in an external iiange 25, which is spot welded, or otherwisesecured to the underside of the top 15, at a point where the iiat outerpor tion 16, raises to form the raised portion 17 of the aforesaid top15. A shell 26, which I personally call a salt adjusting knob, isprovided with a centrally located circular opening, through whichprojects the pepper adjusting knob 27, that embodies a raised circularportion 2S, adapted to rotatably t over the raised center portion 17, ofthe top 15. The aforesaid shell 2d, is provided with an elongatedopening 29, that has a top view conguration of a circular ring sector,through which is slidably located a tongue 30, that is an extension ofthe aforesaid pepper adjusting knob 27. The outer edge of the aforesaidshell 26 is curved both downwardly and slightly inwardly to tit thecontour of the aforesaid sloping sidesy 18 of the top 15, and theaforesaid tongue 30, has its outer end also curved both downwardly andslightly inwardly to tit the contour of the aforesaid outer edge of theshell 26, over which it, the outer end of the tongue, overlaps as bestshown in FIGURE 3 of the appended drawing.

The outer end of the tongue 30 is actually a tab, and is characterizedin the drawing by the reference numeral 31.

It has been previously stated that the top of this invention is providedwith a plurality of openings. These openings are obviously for therelease of the salt and pepper that is placed in the two containers thatgo to make the basic parts of this novel invention.

Looking once again at FIGURES 1 and 2 of the appended drawing, it willbe seen that both the raised center portion 17 of the top 15, and theraised circulm portion 28 of the pepper adjusting knob 27, contain aplurality of openings 32, that are in a mating position when the tab 31is moved so that the outer end of the tab Sil is in a center or openingposition in the aforesaid elongated opening 29. The moving of the tab 31will disengage the openings 32, in the raised circular portion 28 of thepepper adjusting knob 27, from the openings having the same referencenumber in the raised center portion 17 of the top 15. The openings inthe two different parts of this invention are characterized by the samenumber for reasons of clarity, since they must be in alignment beforethe pepper can be shaken out of its container 23. The plurality ofopenings 32 can be of any desired pattern, the preferred one is circularwith one row of openings slightly larger than the other row.

Both the shell (salt adjusting knob) 26, and the fiat outer portion 16of the top 15, are provided with a plurality of openings 33, for therelease of salt placed with- 3 in its container 12. The openings, whichcan be in any desired pattern, any desired shape, and/or any desireddiameter, are in full alignment when the shell 26 (salt adjusting knob)is rotated until the openings in each one of the aforesaid members arein alignment with one another. The rotation of the shell 26 is bestperformed by means of the rectangular tab 34, which has its lower endsecured to a portion of the side of shell 26. Thisaforesaid tab 34 maybe integral with the shell 26 if so desired.

The amount of radial movement, of the salt adjusting knob 26, iscontrolled by the location of the two circular indcntations 35 in theshell 26 (salt adjusting knob) and the arcuate depression in at outerportion 16, as clearly shown in FIGURES l and 6, while the amount ofradial movement of the pepper adjusting knob 27 is limited in turn bythe change in the level of the at outer portion 16 at the two pointsindicated by the reference numeral 36 in FIGURE 8 ofthe appendeddrawing.

This invention in its present form is constructed from two diterentmaterials. The salt container 12, and the pepper container 23, aremanufactured from glass. The top 15, and all of its associated membersas well as the tubular inner member 26, are constructed from stainlesssteel, and the invention can be manufactured from any desired material.When the salt and pepper containers are of clear glass, a lill line 37is engraved or otherwise placed on the outside of the aforesaid saltcontainer 12 at any desired location, in order to provide one with anindication of how much salt and pepper to place in the containers.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that an exceedingly simple andecient combination salt and pepper shaker has been disclosed, whereinboth salt and pepper indicated by the reference letters S and P inFIGURE of the appended drawing, may be dispensed either singly ortogether in any desired portions merely by moving the tab 31 thatcontrols the pepper, and/ or by moving the rectangular tab 34, that ispart of the salt adjusting knob 26.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed it is to be understood that various changes may be made in thedetails of construction and in the shape, combination and arrangement ofthc several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A combination salt and pepper shaker, comprising, a salt containerwhich is circular when viewed from above and has an open end, a tophaving a cylindrical portion to it over the open end of the saltcontainer, means to secure the cylindrical portion to the saltcontainer, the top being enlarged above the cylindrical portion andterminating in a closure portion, a disc which is smaller than theclosure portion, which is over the center of the closure portion incontact therewith, a tongue extending radially from said disc along saidclosure portion and terminating in a downward extending tab, a shellhaving a marginal flange, the llange extending downward and slightlyinward so that the shell lits over the top with the flange gripping theenlarged portion of the top, the shell having a central, circularaperture which is slightly smaller than the disc and an aperture in itsflange to accommodate the tongue, a plurality of apertures in the shelland in the closure which are positioned to be brought into and out ofregistry by rotation of the shell, a plurality of openings in the discand closure which can be brought into and out of registry by rotatingthe disc, a pepper container which is circular when viewed from its topand substantially the same diameter as the disc, and means to secure theopen end of the pepper container to the underside of the closure beneaththe disc.

2. The combination of claim l in which the closure portion issubstantially flat.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which a tab is secured to the shell toassist in rotating the shell.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which the closure portion has a centralraised portion and the disc has a central raised portion to t theaforementioned central raised portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 150,113 4/74 VomHofe 222-158 X 1,086,943 2/ 14 Sehorn Z22-142.5 2,200,755 5/40 McArthurZ22-142.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 344,5 73 9/04 France.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. EUGENE F. BLANCHARD, Examiner.

1. A COMBINATION SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER, COMPRISING, A SALT CONTAINERWHICH IS CIRCULAR WHEN VIEWED FROM ABOVE AND HAS AN OPEN END, A TOPHAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION TO FIT OVER THE OPEN END OF THE SALTCONTAINER, MEANS TO SECURE THE CYLINDRICAL PORTION TO THE SALTCONTAINER, THE TOP BEING ENLARGED ABOVE THE CYLINDRICAL PORTION ANDTERMINATING IN A CLOSURE PORTION, A DISC WHICH IS SMALLER THAN THECLOSURE PORTION, WHICH IS OVER THE CENTER OF THE CLOSURE PORTION INCONTACT THEREWITH, A TONGUE EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID DISC ALONG SAIDCLOSURE PORTION AND TERMINATING IN A DOWNWARD EXTENDING TAB, A SHELLHAVING A MARGINAL FLANGE, THE FLANGE EXTENDING DOWNWARD AND SLIGHTLYINWARD SO THAT THE SHELL FITS OVER THE TOP WITH THE FLANGE GRIPPING THEENLARGED PORTION OF THE TOP, THE SHELL HAVING A CENTRAL, CIRCULARAPERTURE WHICH IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE DISC AND AN APERTURE IN ITSFLANGE TO ACCOMMODATE THE TONGUE, A PLURALITY OF APERTURES IN THE SHELLAND IN THE CLOSURE WHICH ARE POSI-